1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method of expanding tobacco and more particularly relates to a method for more efficiently and economically inducing expansion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In my U.S. Pat. No. 3,612,065 the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof, I have described a method of treating tobacco wherein a given amount of catalase provided on said tobacco is reacted with a given amount of hydrogen peroxide in contact therewith, the mutual decomposition of catalase and hydrogen peroxide being effective to increase the volume of the tobacco up to 20%. This puffing capacity can be increased by forcing the hydrogen peroxide and catalase into the cell interstices.
Other prior art methods of treating tobacco to increase the volume thereof require the use of expensive solvents and complex solvent recovery systems. Some chemical solvents may affect the tobacco taste or leave a toxic residue. It is important to be able to puff tobacco up to at least 150 per cent without wetting the tobacco so that there is not a loss of soluble tobacco material and so that drying the tobacco does not become an expensive operation. It is known that previous processes make use of excessive moistures thus resulting in expensive processing costs. It is furthermore important to be able to expand tobacco lamina with the same ease that it takes to expand stems. The anatomical and chemical structure of stems are such that they are herbaceous plants consisting of pith, primary xylem, vascular rays and cortex. They are also rich in paranchyma cells. The cells are rectangular and the walls are thickened by the deposition of cellulose and pectin compounds. The paranchyma are not as prevalent in lamina and therefore the laminal will not expand as readily as stem. However both lamina and stems contain pores which permit the passage of gases. It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide an improved method for treating tobacco with hydrogen peroxide and catalase. It is another object of this invention to provide a method for expanding tobacco to a greater degree through the use of negative pressure. It is futhermore an object of this invention to provide a more economical means of treating tobacco with hydrogen peroxide and catalase.